Want a business that can grow from your own home? Something without major startup costs or commitments?  A company with flexible hours, steady cash flow and promising growth?

Electronic medical claims processing is the cutting edge of home-based businesses.  With 60 million baby boomers now frequenting health-care offices in record droves, more than 10 billion claims were filed to insurance carriers in 2000.  That’s twice the number in 1990 and it will only increase as the population ages.

Indeed, the bureau of labor and statistics says the top two growth industries from 1996-2006 involve medical claims processing.  Computer and data processing services will grow 108 percent!  Health services will increase 68 percent!

There’s plenty of room for entrepreneurs.  After all, only 30 percent of health claims are electronically transmitted.  That’s six times more than 1994, but still leaves 70 percent for newcomers.

Perhaps the best part is no computer experience is needed.  Many claims processors are people looking for a change in their lives.  They were loggers, grocery store managers, cocktail waitresses, paralegals, cowboys, teachers and even physician assistants before starting electronic medical claims processing businesses.  Some never turned on a computer or visted a doctor beforehand.

“Its so easy,” said Joseph Barish, owner of Healthtec Solutions, Inc. in Cherry Hill, N.J.  “People say they cant do this because they don’t have a computer background.  I was in the grocery business for 29 years.  It’s challenging, but once you get the formula it’s easy.”

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Electronic medical claims processing has no royalties or contract commitments.  But entrepreneurs must exercise their own “due diligence” search to make sure they are buying a package that will deliver what it promises.  There are many medical claims processing programs on the market.  Visit our website at www.sbomag.com for information on how to investigate a franchise or business opportunity.

The key to succeeding is finding a company that not only offers cutting edge software with annual upgrades, but training, marketing and support.  You’ll need someone who explains operating the software with one-on-one training.  A company that provides professional marketing materials that entices clients into listening to your presentation.  A group that has a knowledgeable staff that can answer any question from software to soft selling without rushing you off the phone.

“There’s good companies and there’s bad companies,” said Linda Cunningham of Medical Professional Services in Fairfax Station, VA.  “ A lot of bad businesses will make promises that this is a get-rich-quick business and sell you an outdated $400 software package that is all you need to be successful. These schemes shed a bad light on reputable companies like ClaimTek that do stand behind their product.”

ClaimTek Systems has emerged as the nation’s leading medical claims Software Company.  Led by president Kyle Farhat, ClaimTek is known not only for its MedOffice and Lytec software applications, but tireless support for its licensees.

“In my opinion, Kyle Farhat and ClaimTek are the real medical billing specialists if you are seeking to start a new business,” said Rick Benzel, author of “Making Money in a Health Service business on your Home-Based PC.”  “ClaimTek is the only reliable one around.  I can personally attest to the dedication, commitment and expertise of Kyle Farhat, who is a smart software developer, excellent trainer and savvy consultant.”

Farhat has a four-pronged philosophy on business.  Provide the best software with annual upgrades.  Deliver personal training.  Offer superior marketing for licensees to gain clients.  Ensure that support is a 24-7 concept.

“It’s an incredible industry, but people need to get solid marketing, training, software and support.  Anything short of that is asking for trouble,” Farhat said.  “Buying a $400 program is nothing more than buying a broken promise.  If people look into it they’ll realize its nothing more than a scam.  These companies wont provide software demos.  They tell stories that aren’t true.  You’re basically shredding $400.”

Farhat has heard those stories far too often from his licensees, who were burned by these scammers before coming to him.  Ironically, many other companies can’t even produce an error proof demo software package and still trap people into buying.

“ I got scammed,” said Karen Jeghers of Complaint Billing Services in Carver, Mass.  “ In retrospect, I acted on a whim answering an ad in the paper.  It sounded good and wasn’t a lot of money.  If I had taken the time to think about it I wouldn’t have done it.  I almost gave up on the venture, but I came across ClaimTek.  Kyle Farhat gave references and demos and they were good.  It was more expensive than others, but I know medicine and I can look at the paperwork and know what happened medically, but I didn’t know about billing so I wanted to know how to dot it.  It’s nice to have backup support.”

Marion Campbell of Medical Billing Management in Woosocket, Mass. Picked ClaimTek for its software applications after comparing it to other cheaper versions.

“The MedOffice software was the first demo I tried, and every time I tried a software program elsewhere it led me back to MedOffice,” Cameron said.  “ It seemed to be the most user-friendly.  It has everything doctors want.  Other programs you buy for a couple of hundred dollars don’t do anything more than billing.  You’re on your own and have to come up with something yourself.  With MedOffice, you just push a button and have every report needed.”

The one-on-one training is what sold many l9icensees on ClaimTek.  It’s done over the phone in one or two-hour intervals.  Most clients take 12 hours, but some are given more if needed.

“With a private line to your mentor you can ask anything you want,” Farhat said.  “Some people are intimidated during seminars.  They’re afraid to ask questions for fear of looking foolish.  You just have to know the basics of a Windows program like opening and moving files.”

Marketing is what pleased many ClaimTek licensees the most.  With more than 1,400 pieces of marketing materials form colorful brochures to note cards that stand out, ClaimTek licensees often get quick results.  ClaimTek even helps licensees meet their first prospective physicians.

“One of my first two clients was from a lead provided by ClaimTek,” said Cunningham.  “One of the reasons why I chose ClaimTek was going into a new business I was very apprehensive and I wanted to be sure I would be fully prepared to meet clients.”

Want a support story?  Ask J.R. Honeycutt of H&H Claims Processing in Prosperity, S.C.  His entire hard drive crashed and needed the software reinstalled.  The only problem was Honeycutt couldn’t remember where he stored the disks three years earlier.  Honeycutt was looking at thousands of dollars to replace the software until calling ClaimTek.

“Kyle never ceases to amaze me,” Honeycutt said. “He sent me new updated software.  He called at his expense and reloaded it and meshed everything back together.  And you know what he charged me-nothing.  Nothing.  I tell everybody I talk to that there’s not a better company in this world than ClaimTek.  He bends over backwards for people.”

Farhat talks with dozens of people daily through his website (claimtek.com) to know the hottest questions.  He lets ClaimTek’s licensees provide their experiences as answers.

How successful is electronic medical claims processing?  It depends on the individuals’ desire, but many licensees have at least four clients and some as many as 15.

“Success is a different measure for different people,” said Nancie Cummins Walls of Medical Management billing in San Mateo, CA.  “Some people just want to put food on the table, but there’s no ceiling to what you can accomplish if you apply yourself.  You just have to decide how big you want to become.”

How many hours per day does it require to handle claims?  That varies per type of practice and number of clients, but many ClaimTek licensees say they work between 30 to 40 hours weekly.  The best park is they decide their own schedule.

“This business fits in very well into my personal life,” Cunningham said.  ‘ The flexibility is what I love most.  I can do things during the business day with y children and still be able to tend to business matters.  You can work weekends and evening to get the work done.”

How complicated is to file medical claims? Most licensees have no previous experience handling claims.  Some didn’t use a computer before staring their companies.  But Karen Jeghers of Compliant billing Services in Carver, Mass. Knows both ends.  She’s also a medical practitioner who handles many of the same services a doctor performs. However, growing demands of her four children have Jeghers now running her own claims processing company.

“No matter what part of health care you’re in you realize it’s confusing,” Jeghers said.  “ As a provider, I have to work with HMOs to get people the medicine they need.  The billing has its own rules and regulations.  But electronic claims make it so easy.  Just push a button and it’s gone.”

Is there really a market for electronic medical claims processing:  Just 30 percent of claims nationwide are filed electronically.  Many doctors haven’t yet fully realized the benefits from going online like receiving payment within two weeks instead of 10 weeks by manual means.  Many doctors gladly switch once informed of the benefits of filing electronically.

“Some doctors are so involved in their day-to-day practice that they don’t realize the electronic age is passing them by,” Walls said. “It’s such a crisis mode most of the time that they don’t have time to learn the new technology.”

For information on ClaimTek Systems, you may call 800-224-7450 or visit www.claimtek.com.